This blog details some of my thoughts and aspirations relating to application packaging, compatibility and the ongoing management of applications on desktop, server and cloud platforms. I have a strong focus on the Windows desktop space, but as we progress into more and more cloud based application management, we will definitely see more posts on getting applications working
in the cloud.

Monday, 8 October 2012

April 9, 2014: Every day a Zero Day

Gabe Knuther over at Brian Madden had a timely reminder about the dangers of the coming Windows XP support "wall" that we are rapidly approaching.

Quickly referencing the Windows XP support lifecycle table, Microsoft stopped selling Windows XP in October 2010. You can see similar information for Windows Vista and Windows 7 here;

More importantly in the second table, we see the dates for the end of support for each operating system.

As you can see, April 8th is the final day for Windows XP support. As Gabe points out in his article (see reference below), you may not care as you have been managing Windows XP for more than a decade now.

However, the issue is not you, but them - and, by them I mean the bad guys.

As, of April 9th 2014, there will be no more patches, update or security updates for Windows XP. You have been managing a finely tuned and reasonably secure desktop for the past little while, and as of that date final date for Windows XP - you are now completely on your own. Any vulnerability that remains un-patched from April 9th, will stay that way - forever. And, any exploit discovered after April 9th (or maybe secretly discovered prior to that) - you will be vulnerable. Until, you migrate to either Windows 7/8 or choose another platform altogether.

Not a great situation - I guess it's fair to say that you have been warned.